Angularly adjustable shelf bracket

ABSTRACT

This bracket is adjustable to various angles above and below horizontal, in equal increments. Double movement is required for adjustment. This is a safety feature for preventing accidental movement of the bracket when used in support of shelving. There are no removable pins, and loosening of screws is not required for adjustment of the angle of the bracket. One person can make the adjustment. The ratchet design of the adjustable bracket provides secure locking thereof. No right and left hand brackets are required.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Binghamton, N.Y. [21] Appl No. 791,341 [22] Filed Jan. 15, 1969 [45] Patented Feb. 9, 1971 [73] Assignee Kason Hardware Corporation Binghamton, N.Y. a corporation of New York [54] ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE SHELF BRACKET 15 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 248/242, 108/6; 21 1/100; 248/291 [51 Int. Cl. A47g 29/02 [50] Field of Search 248/397, 235, 242,241,291; 108/6, 1; 211/99, 100; 287/14 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 782,069 2/1905 Sjostrom 248/242 Irving L. Berkowitz 2,769,650 1 H1956 Larson 287/14 3,426,993 2/1969 .lohansson 248/242 FOREIGN PATENTS 939,044 10/1963 Great Britain 248/242 Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner--J. Franklin Foss Attorney-LB. Felshin ABSTRACT: This bracket is adjustable to various angles above and below horizontal, in equal increments. Double movement is required for adjustment. This is a safety feature for preventing accidental movement of the bracket when used in support of shelving. There are no removable pins, and loosening of screws is not required for adjustment of the angle of the bracket. One person can make the adjustment. The ratchet design of the adjustable bracket provides secure locking thereof. No right and left hand brackets are required.

ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE SHELF BRACKET BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to shelf brackets mounted on vertical supports and carrying shelves.

2. Description of the Prior Art Angularly adjustable shelf brackets are known.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is to provide an adjustable shelf bracket of the character described comprising one bracket member which may be hooked to a vertical support, and a second bracket member movably but nonremovably connected to said one bracket member and angularly adjustable with relation thereto, the construction being such that adjustment can be effected only by two movements of the second bracket in different directions relative to said one bracket, to prevent accidental relative movement between said bracket members.

Another object of this invention is to provide bracket structure of the character described in which the second bracket can be adjusted from an upward slant to a downward slant in equal angular increments, without use of removable pins or loosening of screws, to provide for secure locking and requiring no left and right hand brackets.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged and durable shelf bracket construction of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which can be adjusted by one person, which shall be easy to mount and adjust, and which shall yet be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of the invention will be indicated in the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a vertical view ofa shelf bracket embodying the invention mounted on a vertical support shown in vertical cross section, and showing the front bracket member in one angular position in full lines, and in another angular position in dotdash lines;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 4 is a partial view similar to FIG. I, but showing the front bracket member slanted upwardly and in position after making two movements thereof relative to the rear bracket, which are required before permitting changing of the angle of the bracket.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in detail to the drawing, designates a bracket embodying the invention. The bracket 10 is mounted on a vertical support 11. Said support 11 is of channel-shaped transverse cross section and comprises a front vertical wall or web 12 from which parallel flanges 13 extend rearwardly. The rear edges 13a of flanges 13 contact a room wall or surface 14. Web 12 is formed with a plurality of centrally located, vertically aligned, equally spaced slots 15. Said support 11, may be of usual construction.

Bracket 10 comprises a rear bracket member 16 mounted on the support 11 in vertically adjusted position, and a front bracket member 17 nonremovably assembled therewith but adjustable angularly with respect thereto. Both bracket members are preferably made of metal.

Bracket member 16 comprises a flat wall 20 having an upper horizontal edge 21 from which extends forwardly and downwardly, an inclined edge 22 merging with a somewhat less then semicircular edge 23. Extending from edge 23 is a rearwardly and downwardly inclined underedge 24 leading to a curved edge 25, which merges with a horizontal edge 26. Edge 24 may have a greater inclination to the horizontal than edge 22 and hence edge 23 is located above the midheight between edges 26 and 21. Extending upwardly from the rear end of edge 26 is a vertical edge 27. Extending rearwardly of edge 27, and located at the upper end of said edge, is a hook portion 28 having an upper horizontal edge 29. an outer vertical edge 30, a lower horizontal edge 31 and an upwardly extending notch 32 between edges 31 and 27.

Extending rearwardly from the upper end of wall 20 is a hook 28a similar to hook 28 and spaced thereabove. The hooks 28, 28a pass through a pair of adjacent slots 15 and portions of web 12 below said slots are received within notches 32 of said hooks.

Wall 20 is cut along a line 34 parallel to, but spaced for wardly of edge 27 and disposed between the two hooks 28. 28a. The metal between said hooks are shaped to provide one wing or tab 35 inclined downwardly to one side ofwall 20, and a second wing or tab 36 inclined upwardly to the other side of said wall.

The outer edges of said tabs 35, 36 are in a plane passing through edge 27 and disposed at right angles to wall 20 and contact the front surface of web 12, to prevent side sway of member 16 when it is hooked on support 11.

Attached to wall 16 at the center of curvature of edge 23 is a shoulder rivet or pin member40. Said rivet 40 has a reduced diameter shank 41 passing through a hole 42 formed in wall 20 at said center of curvature. At the far side of wall 20, looking at FIG. I, rivet 40 has a rivet head 43. At the opposite side of said shank 41 is a shank 44 coaxial with shank 41, but of greater diameter. At the near side of the rivet, looking 'at FIG. 1, is an enlarged flat head 45. The length of shank 41 is equal to the thickness of wall 20, and the length of shank 44 is substantially the same as that of shank 41. Thus, the rivet 40 is fixed to member 16.

Wall 20 is formed with a through opening 50 ofsame diameter as opening 42, and horizontally aligned therewith and spaced rearwardly thereof somewhat closer to edge 27 than to opening 42. Affixed to wall 20 is a rivet 51 similar to rivet 40 and having a small diameter shank 52 passing through hole or opening 50, a head similar to head 43, a larger diameter. coaxial shank similar to shank 44, and a flat head similar to flat head 45. Thus, rivet 51 is also affixed to bracket member 16.

The front bracket member 17 comprises a single flat metal piece all in one plane and of the same thickness as wall 20 of bracket member 16. Bracket member 17 has a longitudinal upper edge 60 to contact the underside of a shelf placed thereon. Said edge 60 extends to the rear end of member 17. The front end of edge 60 terminates short of the front end of member 17. Extending upwardly from the front end of edge 60, at right angles thereto, is an edge 61 of a front stop 62 which has a front curved edge 63. Stop 62 is to contact the front edge of the shelf on edge 60. In one position of bracket member 17, edge 60 is in horizontal position. In that position, the lower under edge 64 of said member 17 inclines downwardly and rearwardly throughout most of its length, then curves inwardly and downwardly as at 65, then curves outwardly and upwardly as at 66, and then joins the rear end of edge 60 by an outwardly curved edge 67.

Bracket member 17 is formed with an L-shaped slot 70 through which the shank 44 of rivet 40 passes, and also with a ratchet slot 71 through which the shank 44 of rivet 51 passes. Thus, the inner surfaces of heads 45 of rivets 40 and 51 contact the near surface of member 17, and the rear end of said member 17 contacts the near surface of wall 20. While the rivets 40, 51 may be anchored to bracket member 16 against rotation of said rivets, shanks 44 of said rivets are movable in slots 70, 71, as will appear hereinafter, to allow adjustment of the position of member 17 relative to member 16. Rear edge 67 of front bracket member 17 is spaced forwardly of tabs or wings 35, 36 of front bracket member 16, in all adjusted positions of said front bracket member.

Slot 70 is of angle-shape having a longitudinal portion 72 extending rearwardly from the lower end of an upwardly extending transverse portion 73. Slot portion 72 is parallel to edge 60 whereas slot portion 73 is disposed at right angles to said edge. At the forward end of slot portion 72 is a semicircular inner edge 72a and at the upper end of slot portion 73 is semicircular inner edge 73a. Slot portion 72 is longer than slot portion 73, as shown in the drawing. Bracket member 17 may be moved up from the full line position of FIG. 1 to first bring the shank 44 of rivet 40 down to the junction of slots 72, 73, and then said member may be moved forwardly to bring said shank to the rear end of slot 72 to engage edge 72a. The ratchet slot 71 comprises a curved slot portion 75 from which five notches 76, 77, 78, 79, 8O incline forwardly at different angles separated by four rearwardly inclined fingers 81, 82, 83, 84. The slot 75 has an outer edge which is divided in four scalloped edge sections 85, 86, 87, 88 tangent to a curved line which has its center of curvature at the center of curvature of semicircular edge 72a. The outer ends of fingers 81, 82, 83, 84 are located on a curved line which also has its center of curvatcre at the center of curvature of said semicircular edge 72a. Thus, when shank 44 of rivet 40 is at the rear end of slot portion 72 in contact with semicircular edge 72a, bracket member 17 can be rotated about said rivet 40, and shank 44 of rivet 51 will then move through slot portion 75 of ratchet slot 71. Ratchet slot portions 76, 77, 78, 79, 80 have semicircular forward ends to be selectively contacted by shank 44 of rivet 51. The centers of curvature of said semicircular forward ends of slot portions 76, 77, 78, 79,80 lie on a circle, the center of curvature of which is at the axis of semicircular edge 73a.

Radii from the center of curvature of semicircular edge 73a to the centers of curvature of the semicircular edges at the forward ends of ratchet slot portions 76, 77, 78, 79, 80 are 15 apart as shown herein for purpose of illustration. They are equiangularly spaced apart to provide for mounting the movable bracket member in equal angular increments.

The ratchet slop portions 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, progressively increase in length from the top down.

The uppermost scalloped edge 85 extends from the upper end of ratchet slot portion 75 to midway between fingers 81, 82. The next scalloped edge 86 extends from midway between fingers 81, 82 to midway between fingers 82, 83. Scalloped edge 87 extends from midway between fingers 82, 83 to midway between fingers 83, 84, and scalloped edge 88 extends from midway between fingers 83, 84 to the lower end of ratchet slot portion 75.

When shank 44 of rivet 40 is at the upper end of slot portion 73 and shank 44 of rivet 51 is at the forward end of ratchet slot portion 77, edge 60 will be horizontal, and a line through the axis of the semicircular edge 73a and the semicircular end of said ratchet slot portion 77, is horizontal.

In said position of said movable bracket 17, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the upper and lower edges of slot portion 76 are inclined upwardly and rearwardly at 35 to the horizontal; opposite edges of slot portion 77 are inclined upwardly and rearwardly at 28 to the horizontal; opposite edges of ratchet slot portion 78 are inclined upwardly and rearwardly at 14 to the horizontal; opposite edges of slot portion 79 are horizontal and opposite edges of slot 80 are inclined upwardly and forwardly at an angle of l4.

The movable bracket member 17 is adjustable and may be retained in horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 1 or moved to four other positions, l apart. Thus, from the horizontal position of FIG. 1, bracket member 17 may be moved to an upwardly and forwardly slanted position of 15 to the horizontal, by first moving the bracket member 17 upwardly about the axis of rivet 51 in slot portion 77, until the shank 44 of rivet 40 is at the lower end of slot portion 73 of slot 70. Then said bracket is moved forwardly to bring rivet 40 to the rear end of slot portion 72. During this movement, rivet 51 moves through slot 77 and into slot 75. Then bracket member 17 is rotated about the axis of shank 44 of rivet 51 (which is at axis of semicircle 72a) to bring the rivet 51 to the upper end of slot 75. Scalloped edge aids in such movement. Then bracket member 17 is moved rearwardly to bring rivet 40 to the forward end of slot portion 72 and rivet 51 into slot portion 76 to its forward end. Then bracket member 17 is swung down (clockwise, looking at FIG. 1), to bring rivet 40 to the upper end of slot portion 73. The bracket member will then be in a 15 upwardly and forwardly tilted position.

ln manner similar to that described above, the bracket member 17 may be moved to l5 downward slant, 30 downward slant, and 45 downward slant positions.

Since the radii from the axis of semicircular edges of ratchet slot portions 76, 77, 78, 79,80 to the axis of semicircular edge 73a are similar, rivet 40 can remain at the upper end of slot portion 73, while rivet 51 can be selectively located at the forward ends of said ratchet slot portions. Also, since slot 75 is of a curvature whose center is the axis of semicircular edge 72a. bracket member 17 can be rotated about rivet 40 when it is at the rear end of slot portion 72 and rivet 51 will then move through slot 75. The scalloped edges 85, 86, 87, 88 aid the operator to bring the rivet 51 to the desired ratchet slot 76, 77, 78, 79 or 80.

It will now be understood that bracket member 17 must be moved in two different directions before angular adjustment of said bracket member can be made. There are no removable pins, and no loosening of screws is required to make adjustment. The same bracket may be used for left and right side of a shelf.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an article in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiments above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings, is to be interpreted as illustrative only.

I claim:

1. An adjustable shelf bracket comprising, a rear bracket member, a front bracket member movably and nonremovably mounted in said rear bracket member, and means to releasably and selectively retain said rear bracket member in a plurality of angular positions relative to said rear bracket member, a pair of spaced pin members attached to one of said bracket members, and said other bracket member having a pair of spaced closed slots slidably receiving said pin members, respectively, one of said slots slidably receiving said pin members, respectively, one of said slots being L-shaped and having a longitudinal portion from an end of which a transverse portion extends upwardly, and the other of said slots comprises a ratchet slot having a curved portion from which a plurality of ratchet slot portions extend.

2. The combination of claim 1, said longitudinal portion of said L-shaped slot extending rearwardly from said upwardly extending portion of said L-shaped slot, said ratchet slot portions extending forwardly of said curved portion of said ratchet slot.

3. The combination of claim 2, said ratchet slot portions being disposed at different angles one to another.

4. The combination of claim 3, said pin member in said L- shaped slot of said front bracket member, being slidable in said transverse and longitudinal portions of said L-shaped slot, and said pin member in the ratchet slot of said front bracket member being slidable in said curved portion and in said ratchet slot portions of said ratchet slot.

5. The combination of claim 4, said pin members being so spaced on said one of said bracket members, and said upper end of said transverse slot portion of said L-shaped slot and the inner ends of said ratchet slot portions being so located that when one pin member is at the upper end of said trans verse portion of said one slot, said other pin member may be selectively located at the inner ends of said ratchet slot portions.

6. The combination of claim 5, the rear end of said longitudinal slot portion of said L-shaped slot and the curved slot portion of said ratchet slot, being so arranged that when said one pin member is at said rear end of said longitudinal slot portion. said other bracket member can be rotated about said one pin member and said other pin member will move through said curved slot portion.

7. The combination of claim 6, said rear end of said longitudinal portion of said L-shaped slot being a semicircle, said upper end of said upwardly extending portion of said L-shaped slot being a semicircle, said forward ends of said ratchet slot portions being semicircles, the radii from the axis of the semicircle at the upper end of said upwardly extending slot portion to the axes of the semicircles at the forward ends of said ratchet slot portions being equal in length and equiangularly spaced apart.

8. The combination of claim 7, said ratchet slot portions being separated by fingers, the outer edge of said curved slot portion having a scalloped edge section extending around each of said fingers.

9. The combination of claim 7, a line passing through the axis of the semicircle at the upper end of the upwardly extending slot portion of said L-shaped slot, and through the axis of the semicircular edge, at an end of one of said ratchet slot portions being parallel to the longitudinal portion of said L- shaped slot.

10. The combination of claim 9. and also to upper and lower edges of another of said ratchet slot portions.

11. The combination of claim 3, and being of progressively increasing length from the upper to the lower end of said curved slot portion.

12. The combination of claim 10, said ratchet slot portions being of progressively increasing length from the upper to the lower end of said curved slot portion.

13. The combination ofclaim 7, one of said ratchet slot portions being inclined downwardly and forwardly to said line. and another of said ratchet slot portions being inclined upwardly and forwardly to said line.

14. The combination of claim 13, and another of said ratchet slot portions being parallel to said line.

15. The combination of claim 2, said rear end of said longitudinal portion of said L-shaped slot being a semicircle, said upper end of said upwardly extending portion of said L-shaped slot being a semicircle, said forward ends of said ratchet slot portions being semicircles, the radii from the axis of the semicircle at the upper end of said upwardly extending slot portion to the axes of the semicircles at the forward ends of said ratchet slot portions being equal in length and equiangularly spaced apart. 

1. An adjustable shelf bracket comprising, a rear bracket member, a front bracket member movably and nonremovably mounted in said rear bracket member, and means to releasably and selectively retain said rear bracket member in a plurality of angular positions relative to said rear bracket member, a pair of spaced pin members attached to one of said bracket members, and said other bracket member Having a pair of spaced closed slots slidably receiving said pin members, respectively, one of said slots slidably receiving said pin members, respectively, one of said slots being L-shaped and having a longitudinal portion from an end of which a transverse portion extends upwardly, and the other of said slots comprises a ratchet slot having a curved portion from which a plurality of ratchet slot portions extend.
 2. The combination of claim 1, said longitudinal portion of said L-shaped slot extending rearwardly from said upwardly extending portion of said L-shaped slot, said ratchet slot portions extending forwardly of said curved portion of said ratchet slot.
 3. The combination of claim 2, said ratchet slot portions being disposed at different angles one to another.
 4. The combination of claim 3, said pin member in said L-shaped slot of said front bracket member, being slidable in said transverse and longitudinal portions of said L-shaped slot, and said pin member in the ratchet slot of said front bracket member being slidable in said curved portion and in said ratchet slot portions of said ratchet slot.
 5. The combination of claim 4, said pin members being so spaced on said one of said bracket members, and said upper end of said transverse slot portion of said L-shaped slot and the inner ends of said ratchet slot portions being so located that when one pin member is at the upper end of said transverse portion of said one slot, said other pin member may be selectively located at the inner ends of said ratchet slot portions.
 6. The combination of claim 5, the rear end of said longitudinal slot portion of said L-shaped slot and the curved slot portion of said ratchet slot, being so arranged that when said one pin member is at said rear end of said longitudinal slot portion, said other bracket member can be rotated about said one pin member and said other pin member will move through said curved slot portion.
 7. The combination of claim 6, said rear end of said longitudinal portion of said L-shaped slot being a semicircle, said upper end of said upwardly extending portion of said L-shaped slot being a semicircle, said forward ends of said ratchet slot portions being semicircles, the radii from the axis of the semicircle at the upper end of said upwardly extending slot portion to the axes of the semicircles at the forward ends of said ratchet slot portions being equal in length and equiangularly spaced apart.
 8. The combination of claim 7, said ratchet slot portions being separated by fingers, the outer edge of said curved slot portion having a scalloped edge section extending around each of said fingers.
 9. The combination of claim 7, a line passing through the axis of the semicircle at the upper end of the upwardly extending slot portion of said L-shaped slot, and through the axis of the semicircular edge, at an end of one of said ratchet slot portions being parallel to the longitudinal portion of said L-shaped slot.
 10. The combination of claim 9, and also to upper and lower edges of another of said ratchet slot portions.
 11. The combination of claim 3, and being of progressively increasing length from the upper to the lower end of said curved slot portion.
 12. The combination of claim 10, said ratchet slot portions being of progressively increasing length from the upper to the lower end of said curved slot portion.
 13. The combination of claim 7, one of said ratchet slot portions being inclined downwardly and forwardly to said line, and another of said ratchet slot portions being inclined upwardly and forwardly to said line.
 14. The combination of claim 13, and another of said ratchet slot portions being parallel to said line.
 15. The combination of claim 2, said rear end of said longitudinal portion of said L-shaped slot being a semicircle, said upper end of said upwardly extending portion of said L-shaped slot being a semicircle, said forward ends of said ratchet slot portions being semicircles, the radii from the axis of the semicircle at the upper end of said upwardly extending slot portion to the axes of the semicircles at the forward ends of said ratchet slot portions being equal in length and equiangularly spaced apart. 